Diplomatic Missions: Car Use

Lord Hoyle: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What advice is given to British Embassies and High Commissions on the use of cars of British origin by the Ambassador or High Commissioner and his or her staff; and how many Embassies and High Commissions are not using motor vehicles of British origin.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Procurement of vehicles for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is based on achieving value for money, normally by competition and in a manner which conforms to appropriate UK regulations and European Union directives. Within that approach, we prefer British missions abroad to buy British cars, where they are readily available and represent value for money.
	The FCO has negotiated framework contracts with Jaguar, Land Rover and MG Rover; 95 per cent of our heads of mission abroad drive cars bought under these contracts.

Sudan: Darfur

Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, in formulating their policy on Darfur, Sudan, they are taking into account the findings in the recent report by the AIDS Education Global Information System (AEGIS), Management of the Genocidal Crisis in Sudan, and the latest edition of AEGIS Review.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We read with interest the various reports issued by organisations such as AEGIS on the crisis in Darfur. We use a wide range of material to keep up to date with the situation in Darfur and to help us formulate policy. We do not agree with all of the judgments in the Aegis report and will be responding to it separately.

Millennium Development Goals:New York Summit

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What estimate they have made of the cost to the United Nations of the seven-day summit to review the millennium development goals, to be held in New York in September 2005; and whether they will consider the possibility that the goals might be more easily achieved if the money spent on large meetings were directed towards the goals themselves.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Millennium Review Summit will take place from 14 to 16 September 2005. It will be followed by a 10-day debate in the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.
	The UN Secretariat forecast that the summit could cost up to £564,000 to cover conference servicing, security, protocol and public information services. UN member states have asked that the cost of the summit be absorbed within existing resources.
	It is impossible to organise such international meetings without incurring costs. Without such meetings we could not press for faster progress to meet millennium development goals.
	The UK worked hard with European Union partners to ensure the summit and its preparations would be concentrated in New York, to ensure costs were kept to a minimum.
	Global events such as the summit provide strategic oversight and direction, as well as securing commitment and resources without which the practical task of achieving the millennium development goals cannot be pursued.

Iraq: Erbil Attack

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they had advance or subsequent notice of an attack by American military helicopters at Erbil, northern Iraq, on 5 January, when allegedly five people were injured and buildings and cars were destroyed; and whether they are making appropriate enquiries of the United States authorities.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We have a regular dialogue with the United States, as well as with other national contingents to the multinational force and the relevant Iraqi authorities, on security issues. We will not comment on the details of these discussions. The United Nations-mandated multinational force seeks at all times to avoid causing civilian casualties. All operations are aimed against legitimate military targets and all possible steps are taken to minimise civilian deaths.

International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What recent representations they have made to the Serbia-Montenegro government regarding their co-operation with the International War Crimes Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The UK Government continue to take every opportunity—both bilaterally and in multilateral fora—to make clear to the Government of Serbia-Montenegro, as well as to competent authorities in Belgrade and in Podgorica, their international obligations under Chapter VII of the United Nations Security Council Resolutions, to co-operate fully with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in the Hague.
	Most recently, during the visit of Serbia-Montenegro President Svetozar Marovic and other State Union Ministers to the UK, my right honourable friend the Prime Minister—together with my right honourable friends the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for Defence and other Ministers—emphasised that the arrest or surrender and transfer to the Hague of fugitive indictees, in particular Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, is the key requirement for the country's closer integration with Euro-Atlantic structures.

Bosnia-Herzegovina: War Crimes

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the role of British forces in Bosnia-Herzegovina in relation to the hunt for war-crime suspects, with particular reference to Mr Karadzic and General Mladic; and
	What is the role of the European Union-led force in Bosnia-Herzegovina in the detention of persons indicted for war crimes (PIFWCs).

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The European Union-led force in Bosnia-Herzegovina, to which British forces contribute, works in close co-operation with the NATO headquarters in Sarajevo to provide assistance to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the relevant competent authorities, including through the detention of persons indicted for war crimes (PIFWCs). This includes action to detain fugitive PIFWCs including Radovan Karadzic, Ratko Mladic and Ante Gotovina.

Cyprus: Annan Plan

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress has been made during the nine months since the Turkish Cypriots voted to accept the Annan plan to end the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus's international isolation in respect of (a) direct flights and (b) direct exporting facilities; and what progress they have made to meet any undertakings given at the time of the referendum.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Following the referendum on both sides of the island on 24 April 2004, European Union Foreign Ministers expressed their determination to end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots at the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 26 April 2004. In July, the European Commission drew up proposals for two regulations on financial aid and direct trade to help achieve this. The Government support these proposals. It has not been possible to agree these regulations as yet, but we support the presidency in its efforts to obtain agreement on this package as soon as possible.
	Direct flights to the north of Cyprus would of course contribute to ending this isolation. This is an immensely complex area and we are examining the issue with our lawyers.
	Member states are currently also discussing amendments to the green line regulation (GLR), which provides for limited trade across the green line between north and south. We are in favour of expanding the scope of the GLR and hope the amendments will be agreed soon.

Magistrates: Mrs Adoline Smith

The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Department for Constitutional Affairs has received any communication from the Lord Chancellor's Advisory Committee for Leicestershire, or from any official involved in the administration of justice, about the fitness of Mrs Adoline Smith to sit as a magistrate; and, if so, what response they gave.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: My department has received copies of the correspondence between the Leicestershire Advisory Committee and Mrs Smith and her resignation letter which the Lord Chancellor is now considering.

Teacher Vacancies

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many teacher vacancies, broken down by subject areas, currently exist in schools in England and Wales.

Lord Filkin: The following table gives the number of full-time vacancies in maintained secondary schools in England and Wales by subject area at January 2004, the latest information available. Vacancies by subject are not available for other phases of education.
	
		
			  England Wales Total 
			 Maths 263 11 274 
			 Information technology 96 2 98 
			 Any science 233 11 244 
			 Modern foreign languages 86 1 87 
			 Welsh 0 8 8 
			 English 192 11 203 
			 Drama 33 2 35 
			 History 34 3 37 
			 Social sciences 8 0 8 
			 Geography 47 2 49 
			 Religious education 78 1 79 
			 Design and technology 137 3 140 
			 Commerce and business studies 23 0 23 
			 Art, craft and design 42 2 44 
			 Music 47 3 50 
			 P.E. 80 3 83 
			 Other and combined 130 4 134 
			 Total classroom teachers 1,529 67 1,596 
		
	
	Source:
	The annual survey of teachers in service and teacher vacancies (Form 618G) and National Assembly for Wales Stats 3 Survey.

Teachers: Accusations of Offences

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they agree with the reported comments of the Scottish Children's Commissioner that teachers accused of offences such as assault should be given anonymity until after trial; and what plans they have to bring such a change into effect in England and Wales.

Lord Filkin: We do not believe that teachers accused of offences such as assault should be given anonymity until after trial. We consider that it is vital to uphold the principles of open justice which are necessary for the maintenance of public confidence in the criminal justice system and that informed and strengthened guidance to the police and media is preferable to legislation. Revised guidance issued by the Press Complaints Commission provides safeguards against the publication of inaccurate or misleading information. In addition, the Association of Chief Police Officers' advice to police forces makes it clear that anyone under investigation, but not charged, should not be named, and their details should not be provided to the press.

Schools: Current Balances

Lord Ouseley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the known or best estimate of the total balances currently held by direct maintained schools in England and Wales.

Lord Filkin: English and Welsh schools reported a balance of £1.29 billion and £69 million respectively at the end of the 2003–04 financial year.

Schools: Europe Day

Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will encourage schools in the United Kingdom to organise special events to mark Europe Day on 9 May 2005.

Lord Filkin: The DfES encourages schools to use special days and events as a focus for curriculum delivery and enrichment. Understanding the United Kingdom's relations in Europe, including the European Union and the wider issues and challenges of global interdependence and responsibility, is an integral part of the citizenship curriculum. However, it is up to schools to decide which events they wish to organise.

Euro-zone

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 12 January (WA 69), whether H M Treasury allowed for over-reporting of United Kingdom exports to the Netherlands and Belgium due to some of those exports being trans-shipped, within the port areas of Rotterdam and Antwerp, to vessels destined for countries outside the European Union (the "Rotterdam-Antwerp Effect").

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Office for National Statistics produces its trade statistics in accordance with international guidelines. The statistics are based on data collected by HM Customs and Excise. When the information on trade flows is collected, exporters are explicitly asked to state the final destination of the goods which are being exported.

Balance of Payments

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many United Kingdom jobs exist in activities giving rise to credits of "income" on the current account of the United Kingdom balance of payments; and what is the split of those jobs between income arising in the European Union and income arising in the rest of the world.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Chancellor of the Exchequer has stated that 3 million jobs in the United Kingdom are linked to trade with the European Union. The underlying data needed to calculate an equivalent estimate of the number of jobs linked to credits of income are not readily available. However, any such estimate would depend, among other things, upon how labour intensive such activities are.

UK Reserves Data

Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they plan to hold talks with the Bank of England on the current and future policy of holding euro investments as part of the United Kingdom's total reserves.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: As set out in the foreword to the Exchange Equalisation Account: Report and Accounts 2003-04, presented to the House on 19 July 2004, the Treasury and the Bank of England meet regularly to discuss reserves issues including currency composition.
	The United Kingdom has been at the forefront internationally in promoting openness and transparency in reserves data. Details of the current currency composition of the reserves are available from the Bank of England's website at www.bankofengland.co.uk/mfsd/reserves.

Climate Change

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What scientific assessments of the risks of continued global warming they will commission for presentation to the G8 Summit in July.

Lord Whitty: An international Defra-sponsored scientific conference on avoiding dangerous climate change will be held at the Met Office, Exeter, in early February. It will consider the risks and potential impacts of climate change associated with a range of different stabilisation levels of greenhouse gas concentrations. It will also review global emissions pathways needed to meet different stabilisation levels and the technological options that could achieve such pathways. The findings presented at the conference will provide an up-to-date scientific context to the UK's consideration of climate change in its presidency of the G8.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the comment by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Ms Beckett), on 13 January (HC Deb, col. 426) that "If we continue as we are we will not be on track to meet the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions", what action they will take to achieve their targets.

Lord Whitty: The UK remains on course to achieve its Kyoto target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5 per cent below 1990 levels by 2008–12.
	The Government recognise that measures in addition to those contained in the UK climate change programme published in 2000 will be needed to achieve the domestic goal of a 20 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2010. The Government will consider potential possible new measures to deliver further emissions reductions as part of the current review of the UK climate change programme.
	The review will also consider the action that the UK will need to take to ensure it is on course to make "real progress by 2020" towards the ambitious longer-term goal of reducing carbon emissions by 60 per cent by 2050, as set out in the energy White Paper.

Animal Welfare Bill

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they intend to introduce the Animal Welfare Bill.

Lord Whitty: The intention to include an Animal Welfare Bill in the Government's legislative programme was announced in the Queen's Speech.

Navigation Aids: Irish Territorial Waters

Lord Rogan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Davies of Oldham on 21 December 2004 (WA 153), what proportion of the cost of maintaining aids to navigation in Irish territorial waters they contributed and how much was contributed by the Irish government in each of the years 1984–85 to 2003–04.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The UK Government make no contribution to the cost of maintaining aids to navigation in Irish territorial waters. The contribution from the Irish Government is set out below.
	
		
			   
			  Total cost: all   of Ireland Costcontributedby IrishGovernment Percentagecontributedby IrishGovernment 
			 Year Million£ sterling Million£ sterling Percentage 
			 1984–85 8.40 0.00 0.0 
			 1985–86 9.18 1.07 11.7 
			 1986–87 10.77 1.18 10.9 
			 1987–88 10.25 1.21 11.8 
			 1988–89 10.06 1.73 17.2 
			 1989–90 10.81 2.08 19.3 
			 1990–91 11.50 2.21 19.2 
			 1991–92 11.78 2.50 21.2 
			 1992–93 12.80 2.32 18.1 
			 1993–94 12.16 2.03 16.7 
			 1994–95 11.48 1.86 16.2 
			 1995–96 11.92 2.06 17.3 
			 1996–97 11.76 2.07 17.6 
			 1997–98 10.34 1.64 15.9 
			 1998–99 10.29 1.59 15.5 
			 1999–2000 10.15 1.16 11.5 
			 2000–01 11.00 1.59 14.5 
			 2001–02 11.03 1.99 18.1 
			 2002–03 11.79 2.20 18.7 
			 2003–04 13.30 2.85 21.4 
		
	
	Under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995, the UK Government have a statutory responsibility to fund the Commissioners of Irish Lights, the General Lighthouse Authority (GLA) that provides aids to navigation in the Republic of Ireland and in Northern Ireland. The GLAs are funded from the collection of light dues, a system of user charges levied on commercial shipping calling at UK and Republic of Ireland ports. These dues are paid into the General Lighthouse Fund for which the Secretary of State has responsibility. The UK Government do not contribute to the fund.
	Since 1985 the Irish Government have made a contribution to the cost of aids in the Republic to ensure that, in combination with light dues income received in Ireland, total income from Ireland amounts to 35 per cent of the costs of providing aids to navigation around the island of Ireland as a whole. The contribution does not meet the full costs of provision. The shortfall in provision is met from the General Lighthouse Fund.

Railways: Salisbury to Yeovil Line

Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Davies of Oldham on 20 January (WA 128), what is their estimate of the costs involved in modernising the single-track line on the railway between Salisbury and Yeovil to double-track.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Strategic Rail Authority advises that no specific assessment has been made of the cost of modernising the line between Salisbury and Yeovil only. However, in 2000–01 as part of a wider commercial proposition which was not pursued, route modernisation of the line from Salisbury to Exeter was estimated at over £100 million.